Obsession
by LixxyChan
Summary: Nymphadora Tonks had two major pitfalls to her personality- she was curious, and she was proud. Light suggestions of Bella/Tonks.


My first piece for the 'Dominoes Game Challenge' - Pairing: Tonks/Bella.

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Tonks had heard of her dark-haired Aunt once from her mother, as a warning when she was a child. She'd been looking in her mothers forbidden chest-which was full of the heirlooms she had managed to keep when she had been exiled from her family. Black family heirlooms weren't safe.

"Curiosity can lead you terrible places, Dora. Make sure you always know the consequences of what you do- you could end up like your Aunt Bella if you don't!"

"Mama, who's Aunt Bella?"

She had gotten a short, clipped answer which glossed over her Aunt's crimes in a simple way the five year old could understand but still be terrified of.

It didn't have the effect her mother desired though; Nymphadora was a curious child, and nothing quite hooked her interest like the family she never knew. Her mother talked about it sometimes when she had a couple of glasses of wine; the glories and horrors of their family that wouldn't claim them for being less than pure.

She desperately wanted to know more.

As she aged and finally went to Hogwarts she searched out information about her family. She learnt about their achievements at school, their philosophies and beliefs and as she searched she became more and more entranced by the stories of how they thrived in society, how they _ruled_.

Though a Ravenclaw, the metamorphmagus had always had a deep thread of pride which rivalled her curiosity, and it had gotten her in more trouble than it was worth most of the time.

Her mother had said that the Black's most terrible curse was their unavoidable pride- one that had led to the downfall of many of their cherished ancestors.

Nymphadora knew the pride of her house and her estranged family would be her downfall.

Years later she managed to achieve a career as an auror so she could finally sooth the curiosity which had been aching inside her for years, as every auror had one shift a month at Azkaban and she had found out many years before that was where her unknown aunt was.

Her aunt was not what she expected.

Bedraggled, dirty, _mad_. Her forgotten beauty still shone through in the height of her cheekbones; the long dusty eyelashes; the elegant long fingers. Nymphadora crept closer wanting more- wanting to know.

Know her aunt. Know her family. Her fingers closed around the bars, leaning closer to the trembling body of her semi-comatose aunt.

"Bellatrix? Aunt Bella?"

No reply came. She slipped away into the darkness of the prison.

Years passed again, and she saw her aunt again in the Department of Mysteries.

She looked beautiful. Dark curls bounced as she swept into the room like a thunderstorm- curses flying like dazzling bolts of lightening across the sky.

Nymphadora knew that drawing her aunt away; leading her to this room where they could be alone would be a fatal error. She couldn't help herself though, she needed this. She needed to know this woman- this beautiful, crazy, majestic woman who was her aunt.

They ended up in the veil room, the pitch haired woman circling her like a snake closing in on a fat juicy mouse.

"Oh what do we have here? My precious little niece."

"Hello Aunt Bella. You look… better." Nymphadora couldn't help herself as her eyes traced over her aunt with desire. She truly looked much better than when she had routinely visited her aunt once a month. Much better; the dirt was gone, a gleam was present in her eyes. She was talking- she was basking in being out of Azkaban and it showed.

"Oh, Nymphadora. So much different from your mother. Much more… curious. Such a shame- about your blood, I mean." A pale, stubborn chin lifted in hurt pride.

"You tolerate half-blood. I've seen it- Snape, for instance." Her aunt quirked an eyebrow.

"Quite right- _tolerate_ being the key word, darling."

"But you'll tolerate me? If I wanted to- well."

A smirk tugged at the corners of the elder ladies lips. She circled around her niece again- less predatory, and instead with the eyes of a critic.

"I suppose- you might just do."


End file.
